Agriculture

Module B4f: Farming

Organic farming has become more widespread but intensive farming techniques are more common. This item looks at the issues concerning organic and intensive farming. Discussing different farming methods provides many opportunities to investigate why decisions about science and technology are made and the ethical issues raised. This can be developed to look at the social, economic and environmental effects of such decisions and highlights that there are some questions science cannot address.

Suggested activities and experiences to select from:

Role play exercise to highlight different view points on intensive farming.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Both tiers:
Explain that intensive farming means trying to produce as much food as possible from the land, plants and animals available.
Explain that intensive farming methods may be efficient but they raise ethical dilemmas.
Describe how intensive farming produces more food but:

• pesticides may enter and accumulate in food chains;
• pesticides may harm organisms which are not pests.

Higher tier only: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of organic farming techniques.

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Cloning

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3h: More of the same

Human individuals are unique, yet modern science has the ability to create genetically identical copies of complex organisms. This item considers the advantages and disadvantages of using this scientific knowledge. Finding out about the techniques used to produce Dolly the first cloned animal provides the opportunity to illustrate the use of ICT in science, ethical issues about contemporary scientific developments and the role of the science community in validating changes in scientific knowledge.

Suggested activities and experiences to select from:

Research information on the techniques used to produce Dolly, the first cloned mammal.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only:

Interpret information on cloning techniques to show that:

• cloning is an example of asexual reproduction;
• cloning produces genetically identical copies (clones).

State that Dolly the sheep was the first mammal cloned from an adult.
State that identical twins are naturally occurring clones.

Both tiers:

Describe in outline the cloning technique used with embryo transplants in cows:

• sperm collected from selected bulls;
• selected cows artificially inseminated;
• embryos collected;
• embryos split, forming clones;
• embryo clones implanted into surrogate cows.

Recall that suitable organs for transplant could be produced by cloning animals.
Recognise that there are ethical dilemmas concerning human cloning.

Higher tier only:

Describe in outline the cloning technique used to produce Dolly:

• nucleus removed from an egg cell;
• egg cell nucleus replaced with the nucleus from an udder cell;
• cell implanted into another sheep;
• cell grows into a clone of the sheep from which the udder cell came.

Discuss the benefits and risks of using cloning technology.
Discuss the possible implications of using genetically modified animals to supply replacement organs for humans.
Discuss the ethical dilemmas concerning human cloning.

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DNA Fingerprinting

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3a: Molecules of Life

Suggested activities and experiences to select from: Examine DNA 'fingerprinting' results

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only: State that a persons DNA is unique

Both tiers: Interpret data on DNA fingerprinting for identification

Higher tier only: State the stages in the production of a DNA 'fingerprint' (Isolation, fragmentation, separation and comparison with a reference)

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Gene Therapy

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3g: New genes from old

Genetic engineering and genetic modification are relatively recent terms but humans have been genetically modifying animals and plants using selective breeding for thousands of years. Genes can also change without human intervention. This is known as mutation. Debating the arguments for and against GM ingredients provide opportunities to discuss how and why decisions about science are made and the related ethical issues. These discussions can also provide an opportunity to show that there are some questions that science cannot currently answer.

Suggested activities and experiences to select from: Research the differences between gene therapy and germline treatment as a possible treatments for genetic disorders.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only: State that genes can be transferred from one living organism to another and that this is called genetic engineering or genetic modification.

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Genetic Disease

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3g: New genes from old

Suggested activities and experiences to select from:

Research the differences between gene therapy and germline treatment as a possible treatments for genetic disorders.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only: State that genes can be transferred from one living organism to another and that this is called genetic engineering or genetic modification; Recognise features of plants and animals that might be selected for in a genetic engineering programme

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Genetic Engineering

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3g: New genes from old

Genetic engineering and genetic modification are relatively recent terms but humans have been genetically modifying animals and plants using selective breeding for thousands of years. Genes can also change without human intervention. This is known as mutation. Debating the arguments for and against GM ingredients provide opportunities to discuss how and why decisions about science are made and the related ethical issues. These discussions can also provide an opportunity to show that there are some questions that science cannot currently answer.

Suggested activities and experiences to select from:

Survey foods that contain GM ingredients; Debate the arguments for and against GM ingredients; Research the differences between gene therapy and germline treatment as a possible treatments for genetic disorders.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only:
State that genes can be transferred from one living organism to another and that this is called genetic engineering or genetic modification.
Recognise features of plants and animals that might be selected for in a genetic engineering programme.

Both tiers:
Explain some potential advantages and some risks of genetic engineering and selective breeding:

• advantage - production of organisms with new features;
• disadvantage - inserted genes may have unexpected harmful effects

Describe in outline only, some examples of genetic engineering:

• the production of human insulin by genetically engineered bacteria;
• transferring resistance to herbicides, frost damage or disease to crop plants

Higher tier only:
Describe the principles of genetic engineering:

• selection of characteristics
• isolation of genes
• insertion
• replication

Discuss the moral and ethical issues involved in genetic modification weighed against the potential benefits

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GM Crops

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3g: New genes from old

Genetic engineering and genetic modification are relatively recent terms but humans have been genetically modifying animals and plants using selective breeding for thousands of years. Genes can also change without human intervention. This is known as mutation. Debating the arguments for and against GM ingredients provide opportunities to discuss how and why decisions about science are made and the related ethical issues. These discussions can also provide an opportunity to show that there are some questions that science cannot currently answer.

Suggested activities and experiences to select from:

Survey foods that contain GM ingredients; Debate the arguments for and against GM ingredients.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only:
State that genes can be transferred from one living organism to another and that this is called genetic engineering or genetic modification.
Recognise features of plants and animals that might be selected for in a genetic engineering programme.

Both tiers:
Explain some potential advantages and some risks of genetic engineering and selective breeding:

• advantage - production of organisms with new features;
• disadvantage - inserted genes may have unexpected harmful effects

Describe in outline only, some examples of genetic engineering:

• the production of human insulin by genetically engineered bacteria;
• transferring resistance to herbicides, frost damage or disease to crop plants

Higher tier only:
Describe the principles of genetic engineering:

• selection of characteristics
• isolation of genes
• insertion
• replication

Discuss the moral and ethical issues involved in genetic modification weighed against the potential benefits

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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3g: New genes from old

Genetic engineering and genetic modification are relatively recent terms but humans have been genetically modifying animals and plants using selective breeding for thousands of years. Genes can also change without human intervention. This is known as mutation. Debating the arguments for and against GM ingredients provide opportunities to discuss how and why decisions about science are made and the related ethical issues. These discussions can also provide an opportunity to show that there are some questions that science cannot currently answer.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only:
State that genes can be transferred from one living organism to another and that this is called genetic engineering or genetic modification.
Recognise features of plants and animals that might be selected for in a genetic engineering programme.

Both tiers:
Explain some potential advantages and some risks of genetic engineering and selective breeding:

• advantage - production of organisms with new features;
• disadvantage - inserted genes may have unexpected harmful effects

Describe in outline only, some examples of genetic engineering:

• the production of human insulin by genetically engineered bacteria;
• transferring resistance to herbicides, frost damage or disease to crop plants

Higher tier only:
Describe the principles of genetic engineering:

• selection of characteristics
• isolation of genes
• insertion
• replication

Discuss the moral and ethical issues involved in genetic modification weighed against the potential benefits

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Stem Cells

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3e: Growing up

Suggested activities and experiences to select from:

Research about human stem cells; Research cancer (uncontrolled growth of undifferentiated cells)

Assessable learning outcomes:

Foundation tier only:
State that growth involves both cell division and cell differentiation
State that cell differentiation involves producing different types of cells

Both tiers:
State that undifferentiated cells called stem cells can develop into different cells, tissues and organs

Higher tier only:
Discuss issues arising from stem cell research

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Transgenic Animals

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3h: More of the same

Assessable learning outcomes:

Higher tier only:
Discuss the possible implications of using genetically modified animals to supply replacement organs for humans.

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Transplantation

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3h: More of the same

Assessable learning outcomes:

Higher tier only:
Discuss the possible implications of using genetically modified animals to supply replacement organs for humans.
Discuss the ethical dilemmas concerning human cloning.

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Xenotransplantation

Module B3: Living and Growing

Module B3h: More of the same

Assessable learning outcomes:

Higher tier only:
Discuss the possible implications of using genetically modified animals to supply replacement organs for humans.

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